Movie Stars: Franciscus, James–Third Banana (“Valley of Gwangi”

James Franciscus (January 31, 1934 – July 8, 1991) was an American actor, known for his roles in 30 films and six TV series: Mr. Novak, Naked City, The Investigators, Longstreet, Doc Elliot, and Hunter.

Franciscus was born in Clayton, Missouri, to Lorraine (née Grover) and John Allen Franciscus, who was killed during World War II when James was nine.

Yale Education

In 1957, Franciscus received BA in English and theatre arts from Yale University, where he graduated magna cum laude. He was classmate of Dick Cavett and Bill Hinnant. At Yale, he joined Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity.

His first major role was as Detective Jim Halloran in the half-hour version of ABC’s Naked City.

Franciscus guest starred on the CBS military comedy Hennesey, starring Jackie Cooper, and on the NBC drama about the American Civil War, The Americans.

CBS cast him in the lead in the 13-week series The Investigators, which aired from Oct 5 to Dec 28, 1961. He played the insurance investigator Russ Andrews, with James Philbrook as co-star.

Franciscus was cast as Tom Grover in the 1961 episode “The Empty Heart” of the CBS anthology series The DuPont Show with June Allyson.

He had a minor role in The Twilight Zone titled “Judgment Night” in 1959, and major role in episodes of Hitchcock Presents: “Forty Detectives Later” in 1960, and “Summer Shade” in 1961.

Franciscus starred in the feature I Passed for White (1960).

In 1963, he appeared as Mike Norris in the episode “Hang By One Hand” on the NBC medical drama, The Eleventh Hour. He guest-starred on Combat!, The F.B.I. and Miracle of the White Stallions.

Franciscus played the title roles in NBC’s Mr. Novak (1963–65) and ABC’s Longstreet (1971–72) which included his blind character taking martial arts lessons in Jeet Kune Do from Bruce Lee as Li Tsung in four episodes.

He offered vocal performance in the movie version of Jonathan Livingston Seagull (1973).

Along with Lloyd Bridges, he served as host of the syndicated real-life adventure series Waterworld, from 1972 to 1975.

In 1977, he starred in his 5th TV series, the short-lived Hunter, as a secret agent.

He was also seen in Youngblood Hawke, Snow Treasure, The Amazing Dobermans, Marooned, Beneath the Planet of the Apes, City on Fire, When Time Ran Out, The Valley of Gwangi, The Greek Tycoon.

In 1971, Franciscus found work in Italy, playing the lead in Dario Argento’s second film, The Cat o’ Nine Tails.

In 1979, he appeared in Antonio Margheriti’s Killer Fish, and in 1980, in Enzo G. Castellari’s Jaws-inspired Great White (aka The Last Shark).

He continued appearing in roles on screen and television.

In 1991, the year of his death, he worked as associate producer and writer on the film 29th Street starring Anthony LaPaglia and Danny Aiello; it was his final project.

In the summer of 1956, while working as the stage manager at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis, Massachusetts, Franciscus dated his apprentice, Jane Fonda.

In her memoiors “My Life So Far” (2005), Jane Fonda claims she lost her virginity to Franciscus.

On March 28, 1960, Franciscus married Kathleen “Kitty” Wellman, daughter of director William A. Wellman. They had four children — Jamie, Kellie, Korie, and Jolie. After the couple’s divorce, he married Carla Ankney in 1980. They were still married at Franciscus’s 1991 death from emphysema in California, age 57.

Filmography

1957 Four Boys and a Gun, Johnny Doyle

1958 The Mugger Eddie Baxter

1960 I Passed for White, Rick Leyton

1961 The Outsider Private James B. Sorenson

1963 Miracle of the White Stallions Major Hoffman

1964 Youngblood Hawke, Youngblood Hawke

1968 Snow Treasure, Second Lieutenant H. Kalasch

1969

The Valley of Gwangi, Tuck Kirby
Marooned Clayton Stone
The Great Sex War, Unknown

1970

Hell Boats Lieutenant Commander Jeffords, R.N.V.R.
Beneath the Planet of the Apes Brent
Seeds of Discovery Presenter Documentary film